Someone points out that worry can take over and have no clear trigger, be there all the time and even become “comfortable” or at least familiar .. Even with panic attacks, they tend to be attached to worrying about the next one–anticipatory worry– which starts to blend together into constant anxiety.
The way the brain is built–what you focus on/ you will focus on ,more and more.
The part of the brain doing the focusing, gets larger and even recruits neighboring brain areas into focusing on the same thing. Then the worried brain dumps out adrenaline and cortisol, thyroid, and cytokines; which keep the muscles tight and the stomach cramping; which causes inflamed gut and loose stools; which gets rid of the bacteria that make replacement serotonin; which keeps us from turning off our worries.
Then we don’t sleep well so don’t manufacture the serotonin well. We also use up whatever serotonin that we have, trying to calm down the worries we have.
Our worry brain gets foggy on problem solving and sharp on problem detailing.
Someone suggest a step in the right direction and we instantly say, “Yes but, that won’t work because”. Worried people worry most about change and even giving up worry would be a change. Or we think that we have to be strong enough to do the changing alone, by ourselves, in our own strength.
The good news is that we don’t have to make any progress in picturing and resting in God’s grace, in order to have God’s grace. We don’t have to instantly remember and apply His truth perfectly.
Remember that ANY step in the right direction is a miracle and should be celebrated!
I need to agree with God that worry is useless and makes no sense and that he says, “be anxious for nothing,” and I thank him for grace to wallow a little less in anxiety and to cast a little more on him. (He does care for me)
It is fine and normal to start slowly and become more comfortable with that change. Eventually I may delight in resting in him and wonder why I clung to my old ways.
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